Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Los Angeles chef travels to find authenticity and community.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Searching for Soul Food
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Searching for Soul Food follows Los Angeles Chef Alisa Reynolds as she travels through the United States and abroad, seeking to understand how many of the dishes she loves came to be. How did some of the most delicious and beloved foods grow from communities where ingredients were scarce?
Is It Any Good?
A strong idea can only take a show so far. Searching for Soul Food has a compelling premise, but only gets about halfway to fulfilling it. When the focus is purely on soul food, tracking how incredible cuisine was borne out of dire circumstances, the show is fascinating. But too often it feels tonally adrift, padded out with things like unnecessary sketch comedy. Chef Reynolds often feels like she's pushing over the top, almost mimicking what she thinks a food host is supposed to be like. The result: an uneven series with delicious moments here and there. This one could have used a little more time in the oven.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about soul food. What is it? How does Searching for Soul Food define "soul food"? What makes soul food unique? What makes it tasty?
How do specific locations and circumstances change the way soul food is made? What are the differences between soul food in Mississippi and Appalachia? In Jamaica and South Africa? Why do those differences exist?
What foods in this series were you familiar with? Which were new to you? Which foods interested you the most? Did you develop a new appreciation for any foods you already loved?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 2, 2023
- Cast : Alisa Reynolds
- Network : Hulu
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : Cooking , History
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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